12.22.20: Back to the Plan
Advent Devotion, Genesis 2:7 Back to the Plan —————- Then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being. —————- Remember that Logos we’ve been talking about for a couple of weeks? The Idea–the Plan–the Concept–that God […]
12.21.20: Happy Solstice!
Advent Devotion, John 3:19 Happy Solstice! ————— This is the judgment: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light ————— On this day the longest shadows of the year will be cast. The light will be most visible today as well, precisely because the shadows are deep. Spread the light! […]
12.18.20: The Right to be Heirs
Advent Devotion, John 1:12 The Right to be Heirs ——————— Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. ——————— God has no grandchildren–but lots of adopted kids. We were once nobodies, but Christ has given us the right to become […]
12.17.20: Receiving What God Offers
Advent Devotion, John 1:11 Receiving What God Offers ————————— He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. ————————— It’s easy to take a cheap shot here. The Word became flesh, and “THEY” missed it! How could “THEY” be so stooooh-puhd? But the Gospel of John is kinda specific […]
12.16.20: Among the beasts?
Advent Devotion, John 1:10 Among the beasts? ——————- He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. ——————- A Savior on a cross? A Messiah in a barn? The Lord in a manger? No wonder the world had trouble recognizing him. The Word that spoke […]
12.15.20: The True Light
Advent Devotion, John 1:9 The True Light ————— The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. ————— The word “true” here means real. Genuine. Bona fide. Looking at the earth from the Space Station, it’s getting hard to find any dark spaces. The night is alight with artificial illumination. But […]
12.14.20: Bearing Witness to the Light
Advent Devotion: John 1:6-7 Bearing Witness to the Light —————————- There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. —————————- We’ve been talking about light overcoming darkness. In Jewish thought, the light was the truth–and it […]
12.11.20: Overcoming Darkness (Part 5)
Advent Devotion: John 1:5 Overcoming Darkness (Part 5) —————————— The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. —————————— It’s just not Christmas until you hear John Henry Faulk tell this story. It may sound like a whole different world–but for some of us these echoes of memories are still fresh […]
12.10.20: Overcoming Darkness (Part 4)
Advent Devotion: John 1:5 Overcoming Darkness (Part 4) —————————— The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. —————————— A long, long, time ago (sometime in the 20th century) I heard a story from an old pastor whose first appointment was in a small New England town. On December 23 there […]
12.9.20: Overcoming Darkness (Part 3)
Advent Devotion: John 1:5 Overcoming Darkness (Part 3) —————————— The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. —————————— Christmas Eve 2020 will be the first time in 37 years that I will not lead a candlelight service in a sanctuary. I love the moment at the end of that service […]
12.8.20: Overcoming Darkness (Part 2)
Advent Devotion: John 1:5 Overcoming Darkness (Part 2) —————————— The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. —————————— When I was a child I thought the darkness had power. It transformed the tree branches outside my window into monstrous fingers clawing in the wind. It created black corners in my […]
12.7.20: Overcoming Darkness (Part 1)
Advent Devotion: John 1:5 Overcoming Darkness (Part 1) —————————— The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. —————————— Dark is a vanishing commodity in our world. I’ve been blessed to live in a few places where the dark is plumb dark. Slap dark. Dark dark. In complete dark, the starlight […]
12.4.20: Let there be Light
Advent Devotion: John 1:4 Let there be Light —————— In him was life, and that life was the light of all people. —————— In the beginning the darkness covered the face of the deep. This was not the kind of darkness you get by turning off the light. It’s the darkness of despair and chaos. […]
12.3.20: Advent Devotion: John 1:3
Advent Devotion: John 1:3 All things came into being through the Word, and apart from him not one thing came into being. Christ is the Word that became flesh and lived among us. That Word–the Logos–the plan of God has been Creating, Loving, and Redeeming this world from the beginning. Christ’s work did not start […]
12.2.20: God’s Plan
Advent Devotion: John 1 God’s Plan ———– And the Word (the Logos) was with God, And the Word (the Logos) WAS God. ———– That great philosopher, Mike Tyson, once said, Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth. You may find this hard to believe, but I do not often take my […]
12.1.20: The Beginning (Day 2)
Advent Devotion: John 1 The Beginning (Day 2) ———————– In the beginning was the Word. ———————– In the beginning was the “logos.” “Logos” means “word,” but there is more to it than that. The Logos comes before the word is spoken. It is the plan, the purpose, the concept, the idea. When words come out […]
11.30.30: In the Beginning, Chaos
Advent Devotion: Genesis 1 In the Beginning, Chaos ———————— In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, And the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. ———————– In the beginning God Created… But first there was chaos. […]
11.27.20: Walking Together
Friday Scripture: Amos 3 Walking Together —————– Can two walk together unless they have agreed to do so? —————– Q: What do Presidents George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump agree about? A: Recognizing Native American Heritage Day, the day after Thanksgiving. The past 3 US Presidents have all endorsed this celebration. Isn’t it […]
11.25.20: Thanksgiving Call & Response
Wednesday Scripture: Psalm 136 Thanksgiving Call & Response —————————— Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of gods. His love endures forever. Give thanks to the Lord of lords: His love endures forever. to him who alone does great wonders, His love endures forever. […]
11.24.20: Thanksgiving Glory!
Tuesday Scripture: 2 Chronicles 5 Thanksgiving Glory! ——————- All the priests were consecrated, and all the musicians were there, dressed in their worship robes; the choir and orchestra assembled on the east side of the Altar and were joined by 120 priests blowing trumpets. The choir and trumpets made one voice of praise and thanks […]
11.23.20: Thanks-Living
Monday Scripture: Colossians 3 Thanks-Living ————– Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the […]
11.20.20: Wake the Dawn!
Friday Scripture: Psalm 108 Wake the Dawn! —————- My heart, O God, is confident; I will sing and make music with all my soul. Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn. I will praise you, Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples. For great is your love, higher […]
11.19.20: 100 to 1 Faith
Thursday Scripture: Judges 7 100 to 1 Faith ————- Gideon and the hundred men with him reached the edge of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, just after they had changed the guard. They blew their trumpets and broke the jars that were in their hands. The three companies blew the trumpets […]
11.18.20: You are the Light
Wednesday Scripture: Matthew 5 You are the Light —————– “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the […]